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Sinharaja Biosphere Reserve
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a forest reserve and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO. According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Sinharaja is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. 50% of Sri Lankan's endemics species of animals (especially butterfly, amphibians, birds, snakes and fish species). It is home to 95% endemic birds. The hilly virgin rainforest, part of the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests ecoregion, was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility, and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. Because of the dense vegetation, wildlife is not as easily seen as at dry-zone national parks such as Yala. There are about 3 elephants, and 15 or so leopards. The most common lar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sabaragamuwa Province
The Sabaragamuwa Province ( si, සබරගමුව පළාත ''Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta'', ta, சபரகமுவ மாகாணம் ''Sabaragamuwa Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. The Sabaragamuwa Province contains two districts: Ratnapura and Kegalle. It is named after its former indigenous inhabitants, namely the Sabara, an indic term for hunter-gatherer tribes, a term seldom used in ancient Sri Lanka. Sabaragamuwa University is in Belihuloya. Districts Sabaragamuwa is divided into 2 districts: * Kegalle District * Ratnapura District Municipal Council * Ratnapura Urban Council * Balangoda * Embilipitiya * Kegalle Other Towns * Bulathkohupitiya * Belihuloya * Eheliyagoda * Kalawana * Kuruwita * Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Lanka Crested Drongo
The greater racket-tailed drongo (''Dicrurus paradiseus'') is a medium-sized Asian bird which is distinctive in having elongated outer tail feathers with webbing restricted to the tips. They are placed along with other drongos in the family Dicruridae. They are conspicuous in the forest habitats often perching in the open and by attracting attention with a wide range of loud calls that include perfect imitations of many other birds. One hypothesis suggested is that these vocal imitations may help in the formation of mixed-species foraging flocks, a feature seen in forest bird communities where many insect feeders forage together. These drongos will sometimes steal insect prey caught or disturbed by other foragers in the flock and another idea is that vocal mimicry helps them in diverting the attention of smaller birds to aid their piracy. They are diurnal but are active well before dawn and late at dusk. Owing to their widespread distribution and distinctive regional variation, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endemic Species
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kalutara District
Kalutara District ( si, කළුතර දිස්ත්රික්කය; ta, களுத்துறை மாவட்டம் ''Kaḷuttuṟai Māvaṭṭam'') is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary (previously known as a Government Agent) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The capital of the district is the city of Kalutara . Geography Kalutara District is located in the south west of Sri Lanka and has an area of . It is bounded by Colombo District from north, Ratnapura District from east, Galle District from south, and by the Indian Ocean from west. Administrative units Kalutara District is divided into 14 Divisional Secretary's Division (DS Divisions), each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 762 Grama Niladh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ratnapura District
Ratnapura ( Sinhala: රත්නපුර දිස්ත්රික්කය, Tamil: இரத்தினபுரம் மாவட்டம்) is a district of Sri Lanka in the Sabaragamuwa Province. The gem-mining centre of Sri Lanka is also a major crossroad between southern plains and the hill country to the east. A bustling market city servicing most of the surrounding towns. Many of the prominent gem dealers in Sri Lanka operate from this town. There is a route to Sri Pada from Ratnapura direction. Excursions include Sinharaja Forest Reserve and Udawalawe National Park. The surrounding area is a popular trekking destination and a good place for bird watching. Religion The majority of the population are Buddhists. Other religions include Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.Department of Census and StatisticThe Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka-2011/ref> Major cities * Ratnapura (Municipal Council) Large towns * Balangoda (Urban Council) * Embili ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gin Ganga
The Gin Ganga ( si, ගිං ගඟ, ''Gin River''), is a long river situated in Galle District of Sri Lanka. The river's headwaters are located in the Gongala Mountain range, near Deniyaya, bordering the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. The river flows past the villages of Baddegama, Nagoda, Thelikada and Hegoda. The Wakwella Bridge, which was the longest bridge in Sri Lanka, is built over this river. The river is also dammed at Thelikada. The mouth of the river is at Gintota, just north of Galle, where it flows into the Indian Ocean. See also * List of rivers in Sri Lanka The following table lists most rivers of Sri Lanka. Since Sri Lanka is a trilingual country, some rivers may have a Sinhala name (i.e. Kalu Ganga), while other have an English name (i.e. Kelani River). In the Sinhala language, Ganga (ගඟ) tra ... * Wakwella Bridge References {{SriLanka-river-stub Rivers of Sri Lanka ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kalu Ganga
Kalu Ganga ( si, කළු ගඟ; literally: Black River) is a river in Sri Lanka. Measuring in length, the river originates from Sri Padhaya and reach the sea at Kalutara. The Black River flows through the Ratnapura and the Kalutara District and pass the city Ratnapura. The mountainous forests in the Central Province and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve are the main sources of water for the river. The Edwardian manor, Richmond Castle is on the banks of the river near Kalutara. Kalu Ganga basin is one of the most important river basins in Sri Lanka which receives very high rainfalls and has higher discharges. Due to its hydrological and topographical characteristics, the lower flood plain suffers from frequent floods and it affects the socio-economic profile greatly. During the past several years, many researchers have investigated climatic changes in the main river basins of the country, but no studies have been done on climatic changes in the Kalu Ganga basin. Theref ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Troides Darsius
''Troides darsius'', the Sri Lankan birdwing, is a species of birdwing butterfly found in Sri Lanka. It is the largest butterfly on the island and is also the national butterfly of Sri Lanka. Among the largest and most gaudy of the Ceylon Lepidoptera is the great black and yellow butterfly (''Ornithoptera darsius'', Gray); the upper wings, of which measure six inches (15 cm) across, are of deep velvet black, the lower, ornamented by large particles of satiny yellow, through which the sunlight passes, and few insects can compare with it in beauty, as it hovers over the flowers of the heliotrope, which furnish the favourite food of the perfect fly, although the caterpillar feeds on the aristolochia and the betel leaf and suspends its chrysalis from its drooping tendrils.Tennant, 1859 Ceylon, Physical, Historical and Topographical Description From ''Troides helena cerberus'' it differs as follows: Male forewing: adnervular pale streaks not prominent on the upperside, mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tree Frog
A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely related to each other. Millions of years of convergent evolution have resulted in very similar morphology even in species that are not very closely related. Furthermore, tree frogs in seasonally arid environments have adapted an extra-epidermal layer of lipid and mucus as an evolutionary convergent response to accommodate the periodic dehydration stress. Description As the name implies, these frogs are typically found in trees or other high-growing vegetation. They do not normally descend to the ground, except to mate and spawn, though some build foam nests on leaves and rarely leave the trees at all as adults. Tree frogs are usually tiny as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs in their habitats. While some reach 10 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hump-nosed Viper
''Hump-nosed pit viper'' or ''Hump-nosed viper'' may refer to: * ''Hypnale'' (in general), any member of a genus of venomous pitvipers found in Sri Lanka and southwestern India. * ''Hypnale hypnale ''Hypnale hypnale'' is a venomous pit viper species endemic to India and Sri Lanka. Common names include the hump-nosed viper,United States Navy (1991). ''Poisonous Snakes of the World''. New York: United States Government/Dover Publications In ...'' (in particular), a venomous pitviper species found in India and Sri Lanka. {{SIA, snakes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trimeresurus Trigonocephalus
''Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus'', the Sri Lankan pit viper, Ceylon pit viper, Sri Lankan green pitviper or locally, pala polonga, ( si, පළා පොළඟා) is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Sri Lanka. No subspecies are currently recognized. Description ''Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus'' is a sexually dimorphic, mid-sized, cylindrical species. These snakes measure at birth, and males grow to a maximum total length of . The neck is distinct from the flattened, triangular head. There is a loreal pit on each side of the head. Mid-sized eyes and a short, rounded, broad snout are present. The males are considerably smaller than females, which can grow up to in total length. The ground color of the snake is variable and cryptic. Typically, it is a green snake with a black variegated pattern, and a black temporal line is usually present. The wet zone snakes have these black patterns more clearly marked. The vertebral area has a tinge of yellow. The tail is blac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Lanka Blue Magpie
The Sri Lanka blue magpie or Ceylon magpie (''Urocissa ornata'') is a brightly coloured member of the family Corvidae, found exclusively in Sri Lanka. This species is adapted to hunting in the dense canopy, where it is highly active and nimble. Its flight is rather weak, though, and is rarely used to cover great distances. In spite of the Sri Lanka blue magpie's ability to adapt to the presence of humans, it is classified as vulnerable to extinction due to the fragmentation and destruction of its habitat of dense primary forest in the wet zone of southern Sri Lanka. Description The Sri Lanka blue magpie measures 42–47 cm in length,BirdLife International (2019) Species factsheet: ''Urocissa ornata''. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 13/10/2019 and is larger than a mynah, but smaller than a crow,Henry GM. 1971. A guide to the birds of Ceylon. London (UK)/New York (NY): Oxford University Press. with a sturdy bill. Its plumage is bright blue, with a reddish-brown ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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